In electronic messaging systems, it sometimes happens that an originator of a message wishes to cancel the message, for example, because the originator has decided that the message was sent to the wrong person, or that changed circumstances have rendered the message inaccurate or unneeded.
Known electronic messaging systems do not offer the message originator the capability of canceling the sent message. Some systems which allow the originator to formulate the message in the sender's own mailbox prior to sending the message to the recipient'mailbox, such as the AT&T Audix.RTM. Voice Messaging System, allow the message originator to reaccess and cancel the message prior to the message being sent out, i.e., while it is still in the originator's own mailbox. But once the message has been sent or delivered to the recipient's mailbox, the originator loses the ability to cancel or otherwise access the message.